John Tomasso wrote:A while ago, you gave Robin a website for mail order beans - I searched but didn't come up with anything.Could you share your website please?

I'm not Jenise, but since she isn't here yet, I'll jump in: The bean source is Rancho Gordo, and their product is absolutely outstanding - fresh (dried) heirloom-variety beans, Southwestern and Mexican and European varieties all three. We've bought about a dozen bags-o-beans from them in the past few months and loved them all. They're so fresh that you don't need to soak them overnight, four hours is enough. Follow up with cooking as long and slow as possible, and they're fantabulous. Cannellini beans the size of limas - Native American tepary beans, flageolets, wonderful meaty marrow beans, sweet borlotti, great pinto-type Mexican beans like Flor de Junio ... can you tell that I'm smitten? They're more expensive than grocery-store beans but well worth it. I usually get a half-dozen at a time to spread out the shipping costs. I believe he also sells retail at farmer's markets in the Bay Area, maybe some of the locals can fill you in on that.

John, Robin gave you everthing you need to know. Fabulous beans, beans of types you didn't even know existed, all GREAT. And the website is also perfectly wonderful--has detailed, tasting-note like descriptions of each bean to give you ideas of what you might do with each.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

Jenise wrote:John, Robin gave you everthing you need to know. Fabulous beans, beans of types you didn't even know existed, all GREAT. And the website is also perfectly wonderful--has detailed, tasting-note like descriptions of each bean to give you ideas of what you might do with each.

Seguing over into cookery, I've learned a couple of interesting things as I cook more and more Rancho Gordos, regardless of variety, that have changed my methods for bean cookery a little. I don't know if this would work with long-stored supermarket beans, but for Rancho Gordo, it's perfect:

* Soak them in just enough water to cover them to a depth of 1 inch. They'll swell to need it, but won't need much more.

* Cook them in the same water. It supposedly sames nutrients, seems to enhance flavor, and we haven't seen any beany side effects. Indeed, Rancho Gordos seem unusually benign in that regard, or maybe one's system just gets used to it if you eat more beans. Add a LITTLE more water if necessary, but I'm learning that if you don't use more than just the amount you need, you get a much thicker, better natural juice ("Potlikker"?) around them.

* Bring to the boil, let it bubble for about one minute, then turn down heat to the lowest low you've got. Cook covered in a heavy pot (I use a big black-iron dutch oven) for three hours, stirring every now and then. Don't salt until they're done (it allegedly toughens the skins, although I have not actually tested this). You don't even need to cook them with onions, garlic or any other flavoring. I'm finding that Rancho Gordos go best if you cook them entirely <i>au naturel</i> and salt at the end of cooking. Then you can use them in any bean recipe, but they're so freaking <i>good</i> all by themselves that you don't really need to.

Hey, does anybody know the Rancho Gordo guy personally, even casually? I'd like to talk with him and wouldn't mind an introduction over a cold call.

Don't salt until they're done (it allegedly toughens the skins, although I have not actually tested this).

I have! And it's not that it toughens the skins, but that the salt breaks down the proteins (think of any kosher chicken you've ever bought, definitely not the same texture as unsalted). So the beans get mushier and slip out of their skins. It's a perfect method for Mexican refried beans, but not much else.

My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov

There's obviously more to know about these beans--where are they grown, on Paris Hilton's patio?

From what I read, the beans are planted along with corn - the corn stalk acts as a "pole" on which the beans can grow. When it is time for harvest, the beans are entwined with the corn, which means labor intensive, hand harvesting.

A friend of mine, who has cooked at Troisgrois in France, and L'Orangie in Los Angeles, swears by these beans for cassoulet. I'm not about to argue with him.